To be honest The Place Beyond the Pines is not the most captivating title I’ve ever heard. It could have been a slow-burn indie film or a picnic documentary for all I knew. However, this film should not fly under anyone’s radar and could easily be one of the best and most riveting films you will watch all year.
This film starts off all about Luke, played brilliantly by Ryan Gosling, a stunt motorcycle rider in the circus. Touring around the country, Luke is back in this Schenectady (New York) town since his last circus tour over a year ago. He is visited by Romina (Eva Mendes) and we learn with Luke that Romina has had a child from when they last were together a year ago. Fully struck by this sudden realisation, Luke quits the circus and becomes determined to provide for his very young son. Already here the brilliance of the film begins to come through in the subtleties and nuances of the cast’s performances, and the overarching themes of fatherhood, abandonment and the effect this has on the generations of a family. Luke is clearly affected by the absence of his own father and becomes resolute to give his young boy what he never had.
Luke tries to accomplish this by working as a mechanic for Robin (Ben Mendelsohn) in his little backyard garage out in the woods. However Robin sees Luke’s incredible riding skills and confronts him with an idea to make some good money – robbing banks. This part of the film seems to be in the 1980’s/early 1990’s, and the banks in this small town do not seem to have the modern security we have all become used to. Luke is able to walk in, steal the money and ride off down the street, fast as lightning, into the back of Robin’s van where they then disappear into the woods. All works perfectly well until Luke gets a bit too greedy and gets cornered by the cops and comes face to face with Avery Cross (Bradley Cooper) a young cop who has only recently joined the force but is eager to prove himself. Their meeting has a massive impact on their lives as well as their families.
Unfortunately this is as much plot as I am going to reveal in this review as any more would ruin the first viewing of the film. The story is absolutely brilliant, and as previously mentioned, probably one of the best you’ll come across for a while. If you haven’t heard anything else about the plot of the film; try keeping it that way, as the twists and turns of the narrative will keep you on the edge of your seat. Although trying to relay all the complexities of the story after seeing the film has certainly been a challenge for me, at no point in the film did it seem hard to follow, or have loose ends that never resolved. Some of the highlights of the film are the numerous parallels created between various characters. Between Luke and Avery, Luke and his own Father, Avery and his own father, their own boys and how the place beyond the pines brings all their fates together.
In terms of production, the film ticks all the boxes; beautiful cinematography capturing both the beauty and isolation of the Pine forests of Schenectady and the detail in the characters performances. The soundtrack is equally good, with the music tying into the different decades the story takes place over. Writer and director Derek Cianfrance really pulled it all together and this really film makes for fantastic viewing. The rest of the cast do a really stellar job in bringing the story to life as well as keeping it feel wholly real.
Overall Verdict: Although this film may be criticised for being too long, all elements of the story are given their own room to breathe and grow and what came together in the end was a truly touching look into the lives of ordinary men and families and a look into how our actions can have a knock on effect for generations. A very highly recommended film.
Reviewer: Kevin Van Der Ham